Indian Prime Minister Modi to pay 3-day visit to China

World Today

In this handout photograph received from the Gujarat Information Bureau on September 17, 2014, China’s President Xi Jinping (L) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shake hands at the Hyatt Hotel in Ahmedabad. Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun his three-day visit to India in Ahmedabad, home city of India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi. AFP PHOTO/GUJARAT

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday will start his first official visit to China since he assumed office last May.

The visit, scheduled for May 14-16, is expected to build trust, boost practical collaboration and promote the strategic partnership between China and India.

The three-day visit will take Modi to Xi’an, an ancient city in northwest China’s Shaanxi province, Beijing and Shanghai to seek more trade cooperation.

“I have been anticipating this visit to China for a long time. When I was elected prime minister of the new government, President Xi Jinping called to extend his warm congratulations. The two of us then met three times in a year, and exchanged opinions on wide-ranging issues,” Modi told CCTV on Tuesday in an exclusive interview.

Exclusive: Modi says China visit to be new milestoneAhead of his visit to #China, Indian Prime Minister #NarendraModi has said that he hopes the trip will set a new milestone in bilateral relations.In an exclusive interview to CCTV prior to his visit, the 64-year-old Indian leader said that “the 21st century is the century of Asia…China and India should join hands and cooperate closely to promote world peace and stability, which is what the times asks of us.”Modi is scheduled to visit three Chinese cities, Xi’an, Beijing and Shanghai from May 14 to May 16, and will hold bilateral meetings with the Chinese leadership, according to China’s foreign ministry. This will be his first official visit to China since he took office in May last year.

The 64-year-old Indian leader is scheduled to visit three Chinese cities, Xi???an, Beijing and Shanghai, during May 14-16, and will hold bilateral meetings with the Chinese leadership, according to China???s foreign ministry. It will be Modi???s first official visit to China since he took office in May last year.

“I believe that our trip to China will not only deepen the China-India friendship, but also set a new milestone for the relations between developing countries in Asia as well as around the world. There is no doubt of that,” Modi said.

The prime minister pointed out that China and India have made great progress in bilateral relations in recent years and managed their differences with patience and maturity. Apart from settling border disputes in peace, the two sides also reached agreement on various international and regional issues, he added.

“The 21st century is the century of Asia, and a century when we can fight for freedom. China and India should join hands and cooperate closely to promote world peace and stability, which is what the times asks of us,” Modi said.

“Both sides recognized that the relations between India and China, two large countries, cannot just be conducted from New Delhi and Beijing. So we are developing the team of sub-regional, sub-national cooperation, involving states, provinces and cities, that’s major focus of this visit,” said Ashok K. Kantha, ambassador of India Embassy to China.

Modi’s first visit is the ancient city Xi’an, a capital of important dynasties in Chinese history.

“Shaanxi is the hometown of Chinese President Xi. Because last year, Xi visited India, and also visited the Modi’s hometown, the Gujarat State. It shows close relations between the two leaders and also convoy a positive information,” said Li Li, deputy director of South Asia and Southeast Asia Research Center of China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

Also Xi’an was the place of Chinese Buddhist monk Xuanzang (602-664) to start his long journey to the west to learn Buddhism in India.

Last September, Chinese President Xi Jinping invited Modi to visit Dayan Pagoda where Xuanzang translated Indian Buddhist works being kept.

“Last year when president Xi visited India, Modi mentioned Xuanzang and said he had visited his home-village. So I think, he’s visit to Xi’an might has a significance, indicating historical inheritance of China-India friendship,” said Li.

China and India has dispute in border issue since 1960s and has achieved great progress on the issue.

“On the issue of China-India borders, we’ve gathered experience, formed many frameworks. Those achievements should be admitted,” said Ye Hailin, director of editorial department of South Asia issue at National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

According to the Chinese spokeswoman of Foreign Ministry, the two countries continued to promote their border negotiation, properly handled the disputes and jointly maintained the peace and stability in the bordering area.

Story from CCTV News.

Indian Prime Minister to visit Beijing, Shanghai and Xian
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three day visit to China. The trip is on the invitation by the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Modi will visit Beijing, Shanghai and Xian during his time there and will meet with high-level leaders. The expectations are high for the inking of business deals and potentially positive movement on the Sino-Indian border dispute. CCTV’s Shweta Bajaj filed this report.

Indian Prime Minister to visit Beijing, Shanghai and Xian

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three day visit to China. The trip is on the invitation by the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Modi will visit Beijing, Shanghai and Xian during his time there and will meet with high-level leaders. The expectations are high for the inking of business deals and potentially positive movement on the Sino-Indian border dispute. CCTV's Shweta Bajaj filed this report.

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